Method of laying channel flaps



May 11, 1937. H. GORDON 2,079,705

METHOD OF LAYING CHANNEL FLAPS Filed July 3, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 11, 1937. H. GORDON 2,079,705

- METHOD 0F LAYING CHANNEL FLAPS Filed July 3, 1935 2 Sheets-Shee'rI 2 15 l! Y/ u... A [l l l zljam Gordon,-`

atomic/1J Patented May 11, 1937 METHOD LAYING CHANNEL FLAPS Hiram Gordon, Columbus, Ohio, assignor to The Walker T. Dickerson Company, Columbus, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application `uly 3, 1933, Serial No. 678,802

3 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in the manufacture of boots, shoes and other forms of footwear and has particular reference to the steps of securing the outsoles thereof to the shoe 5 bodies.

In the manufacture of certain types of shoes, especially welt shoes, it is customary to form the insole with a marginal rib to which is sewn the lower portions of the shoe upper and a marlU ginal welt strip. The outsole of the shoe is then applied over the insolev and is stitched or otherwise secured to the welt. In the operation of attaching the outsole to the welt, it is thepractice to skive or slit the outsole horizontally, contiguous to its lower marginal region, to form a stitch concealing and protecting channel, this skiving or slitting operation resulting in the formation on the lower part of the outsole of a loose marginal ilap or strip of material. During il the stitching of the outsole to the welt, this flap is laid back so that the stitching operation may proceed Without hindrance and, upon the completion of the stitching operation, in which the outsole is secured tothe Welt, the iiap, formed by the skiving or channeling step, is then pressed down upon the outsole and held in smooth flush relationship with the lower or bottom surface of the outsole by means of an adhesive or cement.

Usually, the cement employed in eiiecting this re-positioning and attachment of the channel iiap in smooth engagement with the outsole, in order to conceal and protect Athe outsole stitching, contains or is composed largely of rubber. It is a matter of general knowledge that even after very slight wear and use of such channeled shoe soles, made in accordance with this widely prevailing method of manufacture, the channel strip, due to the natural characteristics of the cement or adhesive, among other causes,

disengages itself from the desired contact with the lower portion of the outsole, with the result that When the bottom of the shoe is viewed, the loosened channel strip, around the margin of the outsole, presents a rough, unsightly and unfinished appearance so that the shoe is disgured unless the strip is removed `from the shoe by a cutting operation. This loosening ofthe strip and/or its removal by the wearer, leaves the stitching which `connects the outsole with the welt exposed to direct wear, so that the threads of the stitching upon being worn or cut by wear lose their holding properties, so 4that after a period of use land wearfthe outsoles often become disengaged or loosened at localized regions from connection with Vthewelt or shoe upper if a welt is not employed.

These difculties are attributable largely to the employment -of `:the customary rubber .cement used in sealing "the channel .strip to the. marginal portionsof theioutsole. lsSuch-aicement produces (Cl. 12e-142) a distinct lm or body between the interengaging surfaces of the channel strip and the outsole. It does not possess penetrating properties by which the cement may enter the roughened and gnarled leather bers formed by the slitting of the outsole in producing the channel strip, with the result that the initial wear imparted to a shoe readily causes the channel strip to pull apart from the Voutsole proper and produce the objectionable condition and premature deterioration and unsightly appearance of such shoes as above pointed out. In accordance with the present invention, instead of using a rubber containing cement in performing this essential operation in shoe manufacture, I use a more penetrating cement as hereinafter described having preferably a pyroxylin base and which may be applied in an unheated condition to the interengaging surfaces of the channel strip and the outsole following the stitching of the latter to the Shoe proper, and which cement permits, immediately after its application to the shoe, and without any period of waiting or drying, of the forcing of the channel strip downwardly upon the outsole in a posi tion wherein the `strip is flush with the bottom of the outsole and covers the outsole stitching. Due to its penetrating qualities, a pyroxylin base cement readily enters the' skived fibrous surfaces of the outsole and channel strip to effect their rm interlocking and secured union so that following the application of pressure thereto, there will be no appreciable iilm of cementing material between the adjoining regions of the channel strip and the outsole but rather a bonded reunion between these parts which will prevent their subsequent separation even under the most extreme conditions'of wear and service.

Another important feature of the present invention obtained from the use of the pyroxylin b-ase cement resides in the fact that due to the penetrating and fluid state thereof, such a cement enters the registering needle and awl openings through which the stitching passes for uniting the outsole `and shoe `body or welt. Rubber cement, due toits relative immobility, even when subjected to pressure, does not possess Vthe capability oi entering the minute spaces formed between the .outsole stitching .and the walls of said openings, ,although my `improved pyroxylin base -cement .possesses this capability to `a very large `degree and, `upon hardening, produces as it were Pegs or vpins Iof hardened cement which `iirmly ,ad-here to the -walls Yor" the ,awl openings ,and constitute a means, in effect independent `of the stitching, y--for retaining the outsole in secured relationiwith -the welt. This permits the outsole to be worn to a very thin state without losing its original `adherence or vsecureil association with CII the shoe and protects the stitching threads by covering or embedding the same therein.

Other objects growing out of my invention reside in simplifying the process of channeled outsole shoe manufacture and to facilitate production thereof primarily by eliminating the periodsv of delay or inactivity which have heretofore been necessary to permit of the desired drying to a tacky state of ordinary rubber cement.

For a further understanding of the present invention, reference is to be had to the following description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View Ashowing a welted shoe as contained on a last in process of manufacture, the skived channel strip of the outsole being shown in an elevated position, admitting of the stitching of the outsole to the welt;

Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation of an abrading wheel used in restoring the channel strip to a position flush with the outsole proper' to eliminate creasing marks caused by the elevation of the strip during the outsole stitching operation;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view disclosing the next step in my improved method wherein the channel strip is again raised by a hand operation to permit of the application of a cement;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view disclosing the lasted shoe at the time of application of the cement to the adjoining surfaces of the outsole and channel strip;

Fig. 5 is a view in side elevation disclosing the shoe in a press in which the channel strip is in its normal position in engagement with the outsole proper and wherein force is being applied to the shoe to facilitate the cementing of the strip in secured relationship with the use of the adhesive to the outsole;

Fig. 6 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken through a welted shoe made in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view taken through the stitching employed in uniting the outsole with the welt strip;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail sectional view disclosing the manner in which the brous meeting surfaces of the channel strip and outsole are interlocked.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the numeral I ldesignates the insole of a welted shoe although it will be understood that the invention may be employed in the manufacture of any type of shoe wherein a channeled outsole is provided. In process of manufacturing a welt shoe, the insole is skived or cut to produce a depending marginal flange 2. To this flange there is secured the lower portions of the shoe upper 3 together with the welt 4. The welt usually comprises a strip of leather which surrounds the flange 2, and, as customary, the welt is fastened to the adjoining portions of the upper and the fiange 2 by means of a fine wire stitching or lacing 5. The outsole 6 is then placed over the insole in engagement with the flange 2 and the Welt and usually, the space 'l formed between the bottom of the insole and the upper surface of the outsole and within the connes of the flange 2, is lled with a composition material such as ground cork impregnated with a binder.

The outsole 6 is then secured by means of the `stitching indicated at 8 to the welt 4, the stitching being effected through the marginal edges of the outsole 6, as shown more particularly in Fig. 6. l

In order to protect the stitching 8, the outsole is horizontally slit contiguous to its lower and marginal outer edges in order to form an integral marginal ap or channel strip 9 which, after the stitching 8 has been effected, is adapted to be pressed downwardly into a ush position with the bottom of the outsole and to be retained in this position in the finished shoe by the use of a suitable cement. As previously stated, the strip 9, due to prior methods and means for ceinenting the same, readily disengages itself after a short period of use or wear so that the shoe when viewed from the bottom presents an unfinished and unsightly appearance by reason of the looseness of the channel strip and its lack of secured engagement with the marginal portions of the outsole. As previously pointed out, this is largely attributable to the common practice of employment of rubber containing cements which do not eiTect the desired permanent bond between the channel strip and the outsole when the shoe is placed in service. Not only is such a loosened channel strip objectionable merely because of its appearance but also due to the fact that it no longer serves its intended function of protecting the outsole stitching.

I'his stitching usually comprises looped threads l0, as shown in Fig. 7, which pass through registering awl and needle openings Il formed in the welt 4 and the outsole, while a bobbin thread l2 passes through the lower ends of the loops l0 and is normally positioned between the bottom of the outsole and the upper surface of the channel strip 9, being protected by the channel strip. Thus when the channel strip becomes loosened, the bobbin thread l2 is exposed to direct wear and to the elements causing deterioration and breakage thereof so that the union between the outsole and the welt strip is weakened with accompanying premature destruction of the shoe. It is therefore very important that the channel strip should be continuously maintained in its ush position with the outsole and secured relationship therewith not only from a standpoint of appearance but to preserve the mechanical emciency and to prolong the life of a stitched channeled outsole.

In carrying out my process, following the channeling of the outsole to produce the strip 9 and the subsequent stitching as at 8 of the outsole to the welt, the lasted shoe, as shown in Fig. 2, is applied to a rotary abrading wheel I3 in order to immediately effect, following s-aid stitching operation, the return of the flap or channel strip 9 to its lowered position flush with the bottom of the outsole. By immediately applying the edge of the outsole to the wheel I3, as shown in Fig. 2, after the stitching operation at 8, instead of permitting the strip to remain 1n its elevated position for prolonged periods of time as heretofore, the crease marks which occur at the point of juncture of the strip 9 with the body of the outsole may be completely eradicated and the tendency of the strip to remain in its elevated or spaced position from the outsole destroyed.

Then to permit of the application of an improved cement to the adjoining surfaces of the channel strip and the outsole, the strip is preferably turned up by hand, as shown in Fig. 3, this being permitted since the resiliency has been taken out of the strip by the use of the Wheel I3 and no additional crease marks are rees.tab lished by this operation. With the channel strip again turned upwardly as indicated in Fig. 4, I apply a pyroxylin base cement maintained approximately at ordinary room temperatures to Gil the adjoining surfaces of the outsole and the channel strip. This may be done by means ofA a brush I4 in the hands of an operator. As a satisfactory non-rubber cement, I have found a mixture composed of the following ingredients to impart satisfactory results, although it should be understood that I reserve the right to employ other non-rubber cements having equivalent penetrating and flow properties.

Per cent by weight Per cent oluol 4 .9

Solvent 88.6 Butyl acetate 17.6 Alcohol 30.1

Cotton 7.4

Solids 11.4 Resin 3.0 Plasticizer 1.0

the shoe, the latter is then substantially immediately placed, without any waiting or drying period as is customary with the use of rubber cements, into a press of the type disclosed di-agrammatically in Fig. 5. In this figure, the bottom 'of the press is provided with a pad I5 of yieldable material, and plungers, advanced by hydraulic pressure, usually of the order from 12 to 15 pounds per square inch, engage with the lasted toe and heel portions of the shoe, as indicated at I6. The shoe may be held under such pressure for a comparatively short period of time and then removed therefrom, leaving the shoe in a condition for subsequent finishing operations, which have no bearing on the present invention. When removed from the press, the channel strip is in bonded relationship with the outsole and will not separate therefrom under all ordinary conditions of wear and service, thus overcoming the objections which have been noted in reference to the use of rubber containing cements and the operations ancillary thereto.

The pyroxylin base cement has the property of spreading thinly and uniformly over the skived fibrous surfaces of the channel strip and outsole so that when pressure is applied, as depicted in the operation set forth in Fig. 5, the fibers may then be again brought into close interlocking relationship, as indicated in Fig. 8 so that a bond is re-established between the strip and the outsole which possesses all of the attributes of the leather of the outsole prior to the slitting of the same to form the channel strip. A rubber cement does not admit of the re-establishment of the union as shown in Fig. 8 for the` reason that such cement, due to its body, maintains itself in the form of a constant lm between the adjoining surfaces of the outsole and channel strip, preventing the interengagement or interlocking of the bers as is provided by my improved pyroxylin base cement. Also, due to the flow properties of my improved cement, the same readily enters the awl or needle openings Il to surround, protect and impregnate the threads, particularly when pressure is applied to the shoe as indicated in Fig. 5. By filling these openings with the cement, there is produced in the openings upon the hardening and setting of the cement pegs or pins of cementitious material which of themselves serve, in a manner substantially independently of the stitching, to rmly unite the outsole and welt in fixed relationship.

By means of the present invention, therefore, I am enabled to produce a channeled outsole wherein looseness of the channel strip upon wear or use of the shoe is prevented and whereby union is effected of such a character that regardless of wear, the channel strip will maintain its adhering relationship with the adjoining portions of the outsole. Due to this fact, the outsole stitching is protected, and unsightly appearance of the shoe after initial wear avoided and economies obtained in the actual manufacture of a shoe of this character due to the avoidance of delay heretofore present in the drying of rubber cements. Also, the filling of the awl openings with the cement forms another important feature of the present invention to the end of maintaining an improved connection between the marginal regions of the outsole and the welt. The

invention is applicable to any type of shoe having a stitched channeled outsole and while it is of particular importance in the manufacture of welted shoes, it is also of corresponding importance in the manufacture of shoes of the so-called McKay or Littleway types in which the outsoles are channeled and stitched directly to the insole and shoe upper without using a welt.

What is claimed is:

1. In the manufacture of welted shoes, the steps which comprise slitting an outsole edgewise around its marginal edge to produce an integral channel strip, raising the strip initially from a natural fiat position to an angular position, stitching the outsole around its marginal edges to an adjoining welt connected with the insole and upper of a shoe, smoothing said channel back into its natural position, lightly raising it again to avoid creasing, brushing a rapid drying pyroxylin base cement to the adjoining surfaces of said strip and outsole, immediately relaying said strip into place on said sole, and then subjecting said shoe to a uniform pressure to permanently bond said strip in engagement with said outsole, while the latter is in substantially the same state of temper as when slit and stitched.

2. In the manufacture of shoes having channeled outsoles wherein the channel flaps are adhesively secured to the marginal portions of the shoe outsoles to conceal stitching, the steps which consist in applying a pyroxylin cement containing a solvent of toluol and butyl acetate between the channel flaps and the outsole, and then subjecting the fiap to pressure to bond the same to the outsole.

3. In the manufacture of shoes having channeled outsoles wherein the channel flaps are adhesively secured to the marginal portions of the shoe outsoles to conceal stitching, the steps which consist in applying a pyroxylin cement having the characteristics of a composition composed of toluol 40.9%, butyl acetate 17.6% alcohol 30.1%, nitrated cotton 7.4%, resin 3% and plasticizer 1% between the channel flap and outsole and then subjecting the fiap to pressure to bond the same to the outsole.

HIRAM GORDON. 

